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<title>You Squeeze My Hand Three Times in the Back of the Taxi (I Can Tell That it's Going to Be a Long Road) by Would_die_for_fitzsimmons</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28203408">You Squeeze My Hand Three Times in the Back of the Taxi (I Can Tell That it's Going to Be a Long Road)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Would_die_for_fitzsimmons/pseuds/Would_die_for_fitzsimmons'>Would_die_for_fitzsimmons</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 23:48:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,304</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28203408</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Would_die_for_fitzsimmons/pseuds/Would_die_for_fitzsimmons</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hunter was sat on the couch when Bobbi came in. She looked exhausted. There was a bump on her upper lip where it had split in a fight and the blonde hair peeking through the botched black dye was tinted the rusty brown colour of day-old-blood. He sprung to his feet and began fussing over her instantly.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lance Hunter &amp; Jemma Simmons, Lance Hunter/Bobbi Morse, Leo Fitz &amp; Lance Hunter, Leo Fitz/Jemma Simmons</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>You Squeeze My Hand Three Times in the Back of the Taxi (I Can Tell That it's Going to Be a Long Road)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hunter was sat on the couch when Bobbi came in. She looked exhausted. There was a bump on her upper lip where it had split in a fight and the blonde hair peeking through the botched black dye was tinted the rusty brown colour of day-old-blood. He sprung to his feet and began fussing over her instantly.</p>
<p>“Are you alright Bob? Want me to take that bag? I can get you some tea if you fancy it?”</p>
<p>“Hunter,” she intercepted, “Hunter I'm fine. I just want to sit down.”</p>
<p>He slung the green backpack over his shoulder and picked up the two black duffels, one in either hand, following behind Bobbi who was carrying her batons. Hunter knew better than to even attempt grabbing those for her. They walked into the small apartment bedroom and dumped the bags on the unmade bed. Bobbi sank down against the closet doors and pulled the hair tie out of her plait.</p>
<p>“I hate that colour.” Hunter grumbled, flopping down beside her. She chuckled, shoving his shoulder lightly before sighing and laying her head on his lap. He adjusted his legs and untwisted the ends of her fraying plait. They lay like that for a forbidden eternity, drifting in and out of peaceful sleep and talking about nothing and everything at the same time, infinitely comfortable in each other’s presence.</p>
<p>&lt;&gt;</p>
<p> As the light faded from outside the window, the room dimmed and Hunter was having trouble focusing on Bobbi's face; he inhaled and exhaled, feeling his breath float up, up and up towards the ceiling. </p>
<p>“Bobbi,” he whispered, “Bob… you awake?” </p>
<p>She groaned in response and only curled up tighter under the soft leather jacket Hunter had laid over her.</p>
<p>“We should get to bed, it’s pretty late and – no offence to either of us love – I don’t think I can carry you.”</p>
<p>“Hell yeah you couldn’t...” Bobbi snorted, “You're so short.”</p>
<p>She pulled her knees close to her chest, tracking Hunter as he stood before raising her arms and making grabby-hand motions at him.</p>
<p>“Christ you’re bloody shattered aren’t you?” he said, hauling her to her feet, “When was the last time you properly slept?”</p>
<p>Bobbi thought for a moment before shrugging with a smirk. </p>
<p>&lt;&gt;</p>
<p>Soft rays leaked through the curtains, spilling pools of honey over the room and bathing the pair in gold. Bobbi squeezed her sore eyes shut, running her fingers through her hair. She let the deep, even breaths encapsulate her for a few moments before rolling onto her side to face Hunter. He softly stirred, eyes fluttering open.</p>
<p>“Hi.” Bobbi murmured at the man</p>
<p>“Hi.” He grinned.</p>
<p>&lt;&gt;</p>
<p>Hunter hated mornings, that was for sure. Bobbi hadn’t even been back a full day and they’d been called in. Back when the pair had been living in the shield base mornings had been a lot easier. You could roll out of bed, eat breakfast in the kitchen and be downstairs in a meeting all within twenty minutes; but since they had ‘taken the leap' as Jemma had referred to it, everything was so much more exhausting. </p>
<p>“You know I hate the bloody tube.” Hunter protested, “why can’t we just get a car like Jemma and Fitz have?”</p>
<p>“You don’t want a car Lance, you just want to show off to Mack,” She quipped back at him, “Besides… it’s called the subway.”</p>
<p>They bickered the whole way there – though that was standard – but when they neared the diner HQ was located under, they interlaced their fingers subconsciously. Hunter noticed Bobbi's breath speeding up and squeezed her hand three times. I love you, you’re okay. It meant a million things but she understood the sentiment.</p>
<p>Shield was tough for both of them, but they knew they wouldn’t be happy anywhere else. He shot a quick grin towards her, lingering his eyes on her face for a moment, trying to read her expression. He mentally damned the fact that she was a spy. Certainly made things difficult sometimes.</p>
<p>“Hunter. I'm fine.” She reassured, stepping into the shabby diner and heading towards the elevator. They descended in yet another silence that was empty and full simultaneously. Hunter took a breath as if he was about to say something, but decided against it. Bobbi bit her tongue. It was a good distraction from her body that was aching from just standing up.</p>
<p>&lt;&gt;</p>
<p>They spent a few hours doing menial office work until Bobbi had to go into a full debrief meeting with Coulson and Mack. Hunter had finished all he came in for by that point, so he roamed the corridors until coming to the lab door. Why not bother Fitz for an hour or so? </p>
<p>He ended up sitting on a counter-top that Jemma definitely did not approve of, built on the sharp looks she kept shooting him. </p>
<p>“I just don’t know why she won’t talk to me!” Hunter confessed, swinging his legs that didn’t quite brush the floor.</p>
<p>“I reckon you've just got to give her time mate,” Fitz mumbled, “I mean not that I'm an expert on women… I've literally dated one you know? And judging by the aggression with which she’s washing those flasks; let’s just say I don’t think she's doing too great after that mission either.” </p>
<p>Hunter pondered Jemma's involvement for a while until a loud smash interrupted his thoughts. The men glanced up to see a sheepish looking Jemma standing over the shards of a conical flask. Fitz sprung to his feet.</p>
<p>“Shit Jemma, you’re bleeding!” he exclaimed.</p>
<p>“Just… give me some space Fitz,” she gasped through teary eyes, “its Bobbi's story to share, not yours!”</p>
<p>Fitz turned around to give Hunter an exasperated look, but he was nowhere to be found.</p>
<p>&lt;&gt;</p>
<p>As Coulson brought the debrief to a close, Bobbi frantically tried to blink away her tears; finding herself biting her tongue again, grasping for something real to ground herself with. Then Hunter was kneeling in front of her, stroking the backs of her hands with his calloused thumbs and exaggerating his breathing for her to copy.</p>
<p>“It's okay. You're okay love. I'm here.”</p>
<p>Bobbi slid off the chair she was curled in and sank into Hunters arms. She sobbed into his shirt, screwing up the soft cotton into her fists and making herself as small as possible. He rubbed her back in small circles and looked over her shoulder in confusion at the director. Coulson made knowing eye contact with him and softly closed the door. </p>
<p>Bobbi took a shuddering breath and opened her mouth to tell him what had happened in Luxembourg. What had really happened.</p>
<p>&lt;&gt;</p>
<p>When Bobbi finished Hunter didn’t quite know what to say. He pulled her close and combed his fingers through her hair. </p>
<p>“It wasn’t your fault Bob,” he soothed, “there was no way you could have known they were trapped in there.”</p>
<p>“But I was the one who gave the order Lance. If it wasn’t for me, that building would never have collapsed!” Bobbi sniffled into his chest.</p>
<p>“You didn’t know love… you didn’t know.”</p>
<p>&lt;&gt;</p>
<p>Neither of them were sure quite how long they sat in that room; just that it was dark by the time they left, tear-stained and exhausted. A voice rang out from the darkness.</p>
<p>“Want me to drive you home?” It was Jemma. She had been on the mission too. Hunter scolded himself for being so careless that afternoon – of course if Bobbi was upset she would be too!</p>
<p>“Jemma I- “he started</p>
<p>“Don’t. She needs you right now. Get in the car.”</p>
<p>Hunter climbed into the cramped backseat, offering a hand to Bobbi who was staring unfocused at the headrest in front of her. He took her hand in his and squeezed it three times. She broke her gaze and gave him a teary smile. Squeezing his hand three times.</p>
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